Mostly Cloudy, 61°
Weather sponsored by:

With election completed, where do we go from here?


Posted

It’s now safe to return to our regularly scheduled programs. Instead of watching political ads, we can now turn our disdain to Mike Lindell’s effort to sell pillows and sheets, accident injury lawyers commercials and that crabby woman with the square glasses who argues against Medicare plans.

The election is done. But now in the great words of the Alan Parsons Project, “Where do we go from here?”

We should be ready to move to the next election cycle, but we’re left with more questions than answers. In Pennsylvania, the Senate candidate said the mail-in ballot was filled out incorrectly with the wrong dates or no dates should. Pundits claim to throw those ballots out hurt Democrats, but it begs the question: why are problems with ballots seem to involve Democrats? Are Democrats proportionally unable to fill out ballots? Why do Republicans find it easier to fill in their votes, sign the ballot and write the date of the ballot on the envelope as requested?

But let’s move on.

We have a policy here not to stray into politics. But the election is done, and it’s fair to think ahead.

Most of us would agree that a split government – the president from one party, the legislature from the other – is a good thing. It’s less likely either party will steer our policies over the cliff. (Yes, that was an old line used by Democrats years ago.)

I’m happy Ron DeSantis will continue to be our governor. I’m equally happy Marco Rubio will serve in the Senate for the next six years. They were good candidates who could fend off baseless claims of reducing Social Security and Medicare claims. After all, would politicians from Florida be so stupid as to deny or reduce benefits to seniors? I’m one of those seniors, and I pay attention.

Again, where do we go from here?

Former President Donald Trump said he will announce on Tuesday if he intends to run for the presidency in 2024. While I embrace many of his policies, I hope he does not run. Trump is a damaged person, and it will be too easy to expose his flaws. Too many Twitter blunders. Too many mean comments. Too many nicknames.

If I could vote on his policies, I may be first in line to cast a ballot.

Unfortunately, what’s the answer on the other side? Joe Biden? You can’t be serious. Kamala Harris? Even more of a train wreck.

We have to move beyond divisiveness and discord to find common solutions to serious problems.

It’s clear inflation, the economy, crime and open borders didn’t resonate with enough voters – especially in New York and Pennsylvania – in this week’s election. You also have to wonder if John Fetterman will put on big-boy clothes when he goes to the Senate, or will he continue to dress like one of Spanky’s friends from “Our Gang?”

What this country needs are a new wave of candidates. But this time – and I admit this is completely selfish – I hope it’s not DeSantis, and it’s not why you think. As a Florida resident, he’s far too important to me as my governor. Besides, who would fill his void? So far, there haven’t been any Republicans who have asserted themselves as a viable replacement for DeSantis. Until then, I want him to stay.

So that leaves us with a difficult, make that impossible, situation. We have a sincere lack of good candidates for the top job in America. I don’t know about you, but I’m getting tired of having to pick from either mustard or mayonnaise on my cow patty sandwich when I’m in the voting booth.